Golf-club.



m. KUN.

GOLF CLUB.

ION FILED N0 I6. 1,289,192, Patented Dec. 31,1918.

, of impact, which res.

MAREIiil' 1D. KLEIN, 0F GHICAGQ, ILLHEQXS.

Specification of Letters Fatent.

Patented Dec. 31, 1918.

Application med November 15, 1916. Serial Tic, 1311,3537.

' 1'0 an whom it may concern:

, of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in Golf-Clubs; and-I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact de scription of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings, and. to the numerals of referencemarked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

'This invention relates to an improved type of golf club, particularly awooden club in which a new and efficient disposition of the balancingweight or weights. used in the head of the club imparts a spin to theball which regulates the action of the ball in a predetermined mannerupon alighting. This result is obtained by arranging the weighteccentrically with reference to what Ihave herein designated the normalaxis is to be understood herein to refer to a line through the head inthe direction of its impelling force, and passing through the center ofimpact, when the ball is properly struclrhy the head, and may berepresented either by a line tangential to the curved line of movementof the head, and passing through the center of impact, or by a lineprojected perpendicularly to the radius of movement of the head and atthe center of impact. Of course, in playing, the point at which the headcontacts with the ball will vary according to the ability of the player,and the shot which he wishes to malts. Forexample, a poor player willoccasionally top or slice p player may undercut somewhat to loft the 40the hall or a ball, but there is a substantially definitepoint'contemplated in designing the cluh, and approximately at thecenter of the striking face, at which the head is designed to strike theball when properly played, and the axis of impact passing through suchoint is contemplated and considered herein as the normal axis of impact.

It is an object therefore of this in vcntion to construct a golf clubwherein the balanc-- ing weight in the head 01" the club is positionedso as to impart a predetermined spin or rotary movement to the ball.

It is furthermore an important object of this invention to provide agolf club with a weight positioned cccentrically above the 110111131axis of impact so as to give the ball, when hit, a forward spin to causethe ball to roll along distance after alighting.

It is also an object of this'invention to provide a golf club with aweight positioned cccentrically below the normal axisof impact so as togive the ball, when hit,a back ward spin, which causes the ball to risequickly and minimizes theroll of the'ball when it alights.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of a head of a club embodying the principlesof my invention.

Fig.2 is a rear elevation thereof.

Fig. 8 is a detail section on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the head of another form of club.

Fig. 6 is a section on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

is a detail section on line H of Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6, ofa modified form of device.

as shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 1, indicates as a whole the head of a club havinga shaft extension 2, which shaft, as in golf clubs. of the ordinaryconstruction, is thin andv somewhat flexible, and one surface of thehead 1 of the club is beveled ofl with a slight inclination to afford astriking face 3. Recessed into the upper portion of the rear surface ofthe head 1, is a balancing weight i, of any metal or metal composition,arranged so that the heft of the head is above the normal axis ofimpact, and this weight is rounded oil" to conform to the contour orshape of the club head, and held socured therein by obliquely directedattaching screws 5. A sole plate 6, may or may not, as desired, beattached on the under surface of the head 1, of the club, and the usualfiber or composition insert 7, is provided extending for a shortdistance along the bottom oi the club at the lower edge of the strikingedge thereof, as, shown in Fig. 4. This is, however, a usual and wellknown construction, and forms no part of the present invention, andhence is not illustrated in further detail.

in the form of device illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. thvhead fet the clubis denoted as plsitc extension clinched to the head of l the directionof which depends on the heft of the head of the club below the nornml ofimpact, is 21 oniaxis slicing Weight 10. field balancing iveighli 10,preferably of brass; or alloy, clihong h,

course, any suitable metal may he used, is integral with a sole plateexten sion. 17., extending over the entire lower surface of the head 8,cf the club, upwardly extending substantially vertically disposedattaching screws 12, provided for holding said balancing; eight and5.216

club. Obliqnely arranged screws 13, also prordded, as shown in 6 sofurifiher in holdi g the balancing id/and its sole plate c .e" n thehead of the club.

In the form of dlviceilusfrnted if. A 2' I shown the head of the cubtioto, ccnote-d by reference provided with helmicin posed similar-l. lothe we prior ccnsiiritiotioin out separate fr plate 16. attached byattaching screws v desired nuiiiber of attaching screws 18, may beutilized to retain the sole plate ll} at tached upon the club.

In both Figs. (3 and 7 of the different constructions shown the usuallihcr insert the lewer end of the 5 face denoiedfhy the referencenumeral 19, shown, corresponding to the fiber inseru shown Fig.

The operation is as follows:

The Weights herein provided arrzmged so to die purpose of the wee-hrswith which golfcluhs have her-ii 'hcreioforc prcviujd, nilfl'lkilji, togive the rich the desired balance and s vinp; t0 facilil lie its use,and in addition are adapted by icsson of their disposition cccentriccilyor at one side of the normal axis of impact lo 51m: lo the ball, whenhit a predetermined spi (he the normal axis of imp; 1"" zit which mevreight is loceled. which spinning moveriiciit "thus imparted to thehall is QiTGCiIlVl-E to ccncrol lhe action of the hell 'ii iicuesligliiing.

' zili fiils, causes i rill; would oliliierat the head or 'WlSB; andivhere length ofdrive or distance is desired, this is a feature ofconsiderable On the other hand, when the Weight is disposed s0 that theheft or greater weight of the club is below the normal axis of impact,illustrated in Figs. 5 to 7 elusive the head of the club, as it strikesthe hell, hes a tendency to underriile lhe hall e hd thereby not onlytends to cause the all. to rise quickly, but gives to the ball abackward spin, which when the ball. alights, prevents the ball fromrolling, and enables the player to place the hall with greater accuracy.

The former construction. with the Weight top of the head, is preferablyused in the club known as the driver, as this is the one with which longshots are usually made, and the latter construction, with the Weight atthe base of the head, is adapted for use with the club known as thebrassie, with. any clnh with which if is desired cm the hall to risequickly and drop Howevch the disposiio secure either the forspin asdesired, may he connection with any club withli-ion of Ward or e. Ejployed 111 out departing from the spirit of my inveniron.

The Weight need not necessarily be located entirely at oneside of thenormal axis of iii 1pm., but is arranged so that the prepc'ndcrancc ofWeight, co the extent to secure the desired effect is at one sidethereof, and in referring re the location of the Weight eccentricsl withreference to the normal s of impact, it is to he understood that re relmee to the placing of the weight t a o n in sncn. manner that thepreponderance OI the v-reight is at one side of the normal of impact.Also in the appended .is where I refer to the location of the weightcccenlarically at a vertical side of the ncrninl axis of impact I havereference to the placing of the weight either above or helcw such axis.

i i hile l" have shown and described my invention in a preferred form.21 T aware that various changes and niodiin-atic-i-s may he madetherein withou t departing from the principles of my invention, and Etherefore do not purpose lin'iiting the patent granted meenee rotarymotion on. a substantially horizontal axis.

2. In a golf club the combination of a head having a flexible handle,said head comprising abody having a striking face at the front thereof,and Weight attached to the body at the rear thereof, so that the centerof gravity of the heacl is at the rear thereof and disposedecoentrically of the normal axis of impact and. substantially in avertical plane through said, axis so as to flex the stem and actuate thehead upon impact with it ball and thereby impart a rotary motion to theball on a substantially horizontal axis.

3. In a golf club the combination of a head comprising a body having astriking face at the front thereof, a flexible shaft to which the headis secured, and a weight secured to the head above the normal axis ofimpact so as to impart to a. bell driven thereby, a predetermineoioverhead spin on a substantially horizontal axis.

In testimony whereof. 1 have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceoiqnvo subscribing Witnesses.

v MARTIN D. KLIN.

Witnesses: CHARLES W. Him-s, J12, EARL M. I'IARDINEJ

